Here Is The Matchmaker Who Set Up Prince Harry And Meghan Markle

In their first joint interview together that aired directly following their engagement announcement, Harry admitted: “We were introduced by a secret friend, who we will protect her privacy.”

The exact identity of the newly engaged couple’s pal has led to feverish speculation. Many have presumed it is Meghan’s best friend, stylist Jessica Mulroney (who works with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s wife, Sophie, as well as many other clients in high places).

Others have suspected fashion designer Misha Nonoo, who used to be married to one of Harry’s best friends. Another obvious frontrunner has been Markus Anderson, the mate who accompanied Meghan and Harry during one of their first official outings at the Invictus Games last September.

Now E! News can confirm for the first time that the real heroine of this love story is actually Harry’s childhood friend Violet von Westenholz. Her dad is a baron and very close to Prince Charles and she’s been in Harry’s trusted inner circle of friends for years. Her younger sister, Victoria, was once even touted as a possible girlfriend for Harry among the society elite in London, but Violet had become a confidante for Harry when it came to matters of the heart.

“Harry was having a really hard time finding anyone,” admits our well-placed source. “It’s hard enough finding someone new to date. He can hardly go on Tinder or a dating app like normal people, but to meet someone that you actually connect with, that was proving to be almost impossible.

“It was something he had confided in his closest friends about; he was ready to meet someone but it was so hard to actually find the right person.”

That is until Violet and Meghan’s paths crossed. The girls became friends through Violet’s PR work with the fashion house Ralph Lauren. Our source explains, “Meghan had been a part of the London social scene for a while and had slotted into the high society set really easily. And so when Harry told Violet he was having trouble finding someone, Violet said she might just have the perfect girl for him.”